LA PAZ, Bolivia -- It is simple: if Trump can blame U.S. problems on small neighbors like Mexico, ascribing conspiracy plots to their "devious" government and agitate American voters to hate Mexicans, then strongmen like Venezuela's Maduro can more credibly blame the economic catastrophe they have caused in their own countries on "the U.S. empire" and justify a cruel domestic political crackdown.

Of all the "game-changing political leaders" in the ring, reality television host, investor and American business magnate Donald Trump Sr. has emerged as the main contender. Trump seems to be more focused on tainting the opposition's character rather than championing his own cause.

The landmark U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which shifted the criteria for admission of immigrants from a system of country quotas to the prioritization of family reunification and occupational skills, is now fifty years old.

When Macy's made their statement that their values of diversity and inclusion were incompatible with the statements Mr. Trump made they were not questioning his right to say them. They were expressing their freedom of association (and dissociation) with those articulated, public statements.

In the end, this is a group of people who have been slandered ruthlessly, kicked to the bottom of many arbitrary, nonsensical social pecking orders that any bully feeds off of. This is as true of the bully in the sandbox as it is the bully in Congress or State Assembly.

Our national motto, E Pluribus Unum--"out of many, one"-- continues to be an ideal we all can aspire to, with or without Donald Trump. Fanning the flames of racism, xenophobia, and division at a time when the US needs more national cooperation is inexcusable.

As a working TV and feature film writer in Hollywood, I have been fortunate enough to sell a couple of pilots to NBC. But I am also one of those immigrants from Mexico Donald Trump talked about -- except I've never raped anyone, I am not a criminal and I have never done or sold drugs.